Less than a week after suffering a sprained knee that will keep him out of the Montreal Canadiens lineup for at least two-to-three months, Patrik Laine discussed the controversial hit that injured him and his decision to forego surgery.
Speaking with reporters on Thursday, Laine didn’t seem to hold any ill will toward Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Cedric Pare, who put the former All-Star on the shelf after a knee-to-knee collision on Sept. 28. Meanwhile, the Canadiens’ forward even took some of the blame.
“I don’t think anybody is trying to hurt anybody. Hockey’s a fast game,” Laine said via the Canadiens. “I just put myself in that position a little bit; D’s trying to make a stop. He texted me afterward, give him respect for that. It’s just an unfortunate play.”
Pare shared the same view after the game, saying, “It wasn’t my intention,” while wishing Laine well.
